The Right Cat
by Sleets
Summary: Stonefur's life had always been about his Clan, kin and friends, but there's just something missing. Stonefur x ? Random pairing!


**Author's Note: **Random pairing!! Read on to find out who is this cat... -grin- Don't kill me with the pairing!!! I had originally wanted to put this as a chapter in 'Words from the Heart', but this one is long enough to be on its own :) Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **You seriously think a stupid person like myself would think of Warriors?

**The Right Cat**

"Stonefur…"

I pricked my ears curiously. My sister's eyes gleamed mischievously. "Stonefur, isn't there any cat at all you fancy?"

I jumped back.

"Oh come on!" Mistyfoot retorted. "I'm already having kits, but you, my brother…" she shook her head in exaggerated disapproval. "You're hopeless."

I shuffled my paws uneasily. It had never crossed my mind that I had wanted to follow the path my sister took; the path of love.

And yet… I know I wanted it. The desire to understand love burns inside me. It was disappointing to know that however hard I looked, there wasn't that cat who gave me the feeling.

But I hadn't looked hard enough.

I hadn't looked _deep _enough.

I turned around to see that Mistyfoot was gazing at me expectantly. "Sorry?"

Mistyfoot sighed inwardly. "I was asking you if you would like to hunt, before I move in to the nursery."

"Yeah of course!" I meowed hastily. She studied me suspiciously. "Umm… let's take another cat with us, shall we?" I added lightly.

Mistyfoot breathed out in exasperation. "I don't know what's up with you Stonefur." Not waiting for an answer, she scanned the clearing, looking for another cat to join our patrol.

"Ah, Shadepaw!"

I transferred my gaze towards the apprentice. Small frame, dark fur, nervous eyes… nothing special in her, really. I purred at her in a friendly way, hoping I wouldn't scare her. Shadepaw just gave me a long, strange look and padded up to Mistyfoot, her tail twitching in amusement.

I ducked in embarrassment. She doesn'tneed your _friendliness, _mouse-brain!

"Stonefur, you coming?"

"Yes!" I hurried over to my sister, avoiding the apprentice's gaze. We headed out towards the river, and Mistyfoot started giving Shadepaw some advice about fishing. I watched in a distance, my ears pricked to catch signs of prey. Shadepaw was listening attentively, her eyes bright. She was never a social cat, but she was polite and not weak.

Her gaze switched to me for a split second. I met those amber (?) eyes and couldn't look away. My fur bristled uncomfortably. She looked back to my sister. I relaxed. What was up with me?

Lost in my own thoughts, I didn't notice when something streaked past me. A water vole. I leaped to my paws and gave chase, hurtling past Mistyfoot and Shadepaw and into muddy ground. Nearly got it… I closed the distance between us and leaped… and missed. Startled, I scrabbled to get back on safe solid land. But the mud near the river was merciless. With a cry, I slid into the river.

Mistyfoot was there in a flash. She grabbed my fur, her paws dug into the soft ground to keep her balance. Shadepaw was beside her, her teeth sunk into my fur.

I winced as my fur became sodden with water. RiverClan cats swim. But not in this kind of current. I felt myself being pulled away into the rushing water and I made one last effort, heaving myself upwards.

I collapsed on the river bank, panting heavily. That was close. Too close.

Mistyfoot licked my fur desperately. "How could you be so careless!" she yowled furiously.

I raised my head. "Sorry."

Mistyfoot opened her mouth but was cut off by a cry. I spun around to see Shadepaw chasing after a water vole… the same vole. Oh no. My heart lurched. History was repeating itself.

"Shadepaw, stop!" Mistyfoot yowled, but not leaving my side.

I couldn't let her share my experiences. Ignoring the gash on my shoulder, I scrambled to my paws and chase after her, just as she lost her footing.

I gritted my teeth in determination and jumped into the river after her.

I searched my mind for memories of swimming lessons, but with the strong force of the current, I could only flail my paws clumsily. Somehow, I found my way to Shadepaw and sank my teeth onto her scruff.

Her weight dragged me down, but my strong paws led me near the river bank, where Mistyfoot grabbed Shadepaw, allowing me to struggle to safety.

As soon as I was on land, Mistyfoot cuffed me hard. "What do you think you were doing?" she hissed. "After you nearly get washed away, you jump back in! Mouse-brain, didn't you know how worried I was?"

I coughed out water and met my sister's eyes. Worry shone in her blue gaze and I took the effort to lick her ear. "I'm sorry," I rasped. "But I couldn't let Shadepaw drown, could I?"

Something flashed in Mistyfoot's eyes. "Okay," she meowed mildly. "I'll go back to camp to fetch Mudfur, you wait here… Shadepaw can't return to camp in this state."

"Thanks," I murmured gratefully, exhaustion overwhelming me.

As her tail disappeared into the bushes, I turned to look at Shadepaw. It was strange how I couldn't save myself the first time but managed to save Shadepaw as well as myself the second time.

Mistyfoot was there to help the second time, of course. But I couldn't help but think it was more than that.

My blood ran cold as I realized that it could be the fact that Shadepaw was drowning that gave me such strength.

I shrugged.

I'd do the same to another Clan mate.

Right?

In the midst of my uncertainty, I didn't notice that Shadepaw was awake. Her cough brought me back to reality. "Shadepaw? You're awake!" I meowed with relief.

Following it was anger.

"Why did you chase that vole? You knew that it was dangerous to give chase so close to the river. After seeing me so close to death, how could you take that risk?"

Shadepaw didn't fight back. Instead, she closed her eyes. "I'm sorry. You nearly lost your life because of that vole, so I thought that it was right that I catch it for you."

I softened. A strange sensation came over me. "You did it for me?"

Shadepaw nodded, opening her eyes and fixing them on the ground. "And… I—I wanted to prove that I can hunt well."

Awkwardly, I reached out and licked her ear.

"Stonefur…"

That sent a tingle down my spine. This was the first time I heard her speak my name. Even though we talked before, it was usually a brief exchange of words with no mention of the other party's name.

"Stonefur, you know… I…" she broke off uncertainly. "Thank you." She blurted out quickly.

I blinked. That wasn't what she wanted to say, and she knew it herself. I shrugged, deciding to play along with her. "I couldn't let you drown."

Shadepaw winced as if she had been struck. "You didn't have to go so far in helping me… you risked your life too."

I studied her closely. What was she trying to prove?

When I didn't reply, she went on. "A respectable warrior like you shouldn't go through so much just to save a worthless apprentice."

"You're not worthless!" I exclaimed. "I would die to save any RiverClan cat in need!"

"Even me?" Shadepaw murmured.

I was taken aback. Briefly, I asked myself that question. Would I die for Shadepaw? Of course! Shadepaw is a friend, right?

Wrong. A voice deep in my heart.

I flashed a quick glance at the apprentice. Could it be possible that I felt something stronger than friendship? All the past moons… my awkwardness around her, the short but enjoyable moments with her, our exchange of words that I vividly remembered… they point to something. But what?

"Especially you," I whispered, half to myself.

Shadepaw's eyes shone but she stayed where she was, not saying anything.

Memories flooded into me. Just before we went out, I was thinking that I couldn't find the cat that gives me that feeling. But that wasn't true. I was sure of that when I looked into Shadepaw's amber eyes. There was a cat. I just didn't want to admit it.

A rustle interrupted my thoughts and Mistyfoot appeared, with Mudfur at her side. "Sorry I took so long," she apologized. "I had to look for Mudfur. He wasn't at camp."

Mudfur patched up most of Shadepaw's wounds and helped her to her feet. I brought up the rear, occasionally glancing at the apprentice to make sure she was okay. I shuddered at the thought of what would have happened if I had failed to save her.

At that moment, I couldn't deny it anymore. I didn't want to lose her. I _couldn't _lose her.

000

I sat down beside Mistyfoot. A day had passed since Shadepaw's incident. Crookedstar had called a meeting and now Shadepaw was by his side.

I blinked at the apprentice warmly. (A/N: Too lazy to do the ceremony…) Crookedstar called out the formal words and named Shadepaw as Shadepelt.

I was one of the first cats to greet her. Her eyes were shining and looked at me with a glow that told everything. Purring loudly, Shadepelt took her place near the exit of our camp, ready to sit vigil for the night.

"Well, the river incident had an advantage," Mistyfoot meowed from next to me, her eyes fixed on the figure of Shadepelt.

"Yeah." I purred. "I guess everything worked out after all. It was fated."

Mistyfoot eyed me. "What do you know about fate?"

"I know that some things are meant to be. And that some cats were meant to be too…" I trailed off, hoping I didn't sound stupid. My sister gave me a look full of questions.

Deciding she wanted to hear some more, I went on. "You just know it when you meet the right cat." Seeing the confusion in Mistyfoot's blue eyes, I explained. "When you meet the right cat, you have this feeling that says: 'You're the one!'."

The confusion in my sister's gaze faded to be replaced with understanding. "I can understand that!" she purred. Flicking her tail, she got up and headed towards the warriors den.

I understand too. I knew who this right cat was; I had known it from the beginning. I thought that no one was that cat because I didn't look beyond fur and at the cat inside.

My gaze was drawn towards the dark figure of Shadepelt, her pelt tinged silver by the moon.

The pace of my heartbeat confirmed what I had in my mind.

_You're the one!_

**A/N: **Review please!


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